Potential of First Gen Appreciation of Value

Ha! I think these trucks have already "appreciated" in that they hit a price and that curve never really went down the same path as the condition of the trucks themselves.

 

Past twelve months. All First Gens. Hammer prices do not include the 5% vig.

Impossible to predict what will happen to values going forward. These were very popular vehicles, but they aren't making small, affordable trucks any more.
The vast majority of survivors are not in "collectible" condition. So scarcity is a good thing, if you're an owner.

 

Pretty rare for any vehicle to be a good investment since you have to keep it safe & warm, insured, drive it sometimes, etc.

That said, I've seen the value of trucks like mine (or at least sale price) increase anywhere from 50 - 100% since 'rona...considering when I bought it and what I paid.

Ima keep driving it as long as I can. Been my daily for 14 years. THAT is the investment. Instead of sinking money into a new vehicle with much higher insurance, maintenance, and repair costs, I take that and invest it. Over that period, it has become a nice pile of cash. Vehicles are wealth killers. But you can mitigate that by driving something older & reliable & investing those savings in your future.

 

It’s only worth the investment if it gets great smiles per gallon

 

This one will sell well over original MSRP.
5 speed, 4wd, V6, California history, clean Carfax.
Only criticisms I can levy are the color and timing belt due.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-toyota-tacoma-126/

Investment grade? You decide.

 

It is an investment if you have the right perspective. These trucks are simple, reliable and easy to repair. Modern CAN bus vehicles are designed to last around 10 years and are complicated, expensive, and difficult to diagnose and repair.

These trucks will not be collectors items because of the styling, rarity or nostalgia. These trucks will be collected for raw reliability and utility in an age where no such vehicles are made.

We hit the bottom of the depreciation curve a while ago, just like muscle cars did in the 80s. Now we're seeing prices go up. Coupled with dollar inflation, we could see prices rise 5 - 10% per year for the foreseeable future.

My truck is 25 years old and has never once failed to start.

 

Buy a 2005-2006 Ford GT if you want an investment vehicle.

 

I would say yes but not in tremendous 6 figure value like say a JDM 90's sports car, not enough to really consider it an "investment" in the monetary sense because frankly there are just too many of them. however, I think very slowly the really nice and clean original examples will pull a pretty penny to the right buyers just like the 80's Toyota trucks have, never thought I'd see the day an 85' pick-up would go for more than $10k now I'm seeing them sell for north of $25k!? They will always be high "value" trucks because how reliable, cheap to own and easy to maintain they are.